Revising a Promise
by Summer Evenings
Summary: The Breakfast Club decides to revise their promise to stay friends after two of their number doesn't stick to the plan.


Hi all! Okay, I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could write angst... that wasn't Doctor Who. This little guy is what came into being. Tell me what you think!

Revising a Promise

They had always been the closest clique-wise. It helped that she didn't have but their personalities meshed better than the rest of us. Plus, if they were seen together no one would have noticed or cared. Ah, the blessings of being an outcast.

I knew on some level they would keep our pact. It would be just like John to say screw popular belief. And Alison would be too concerned of his heart dying to keep away. Their connection that Saturday was unspoken and instant. Who can forget Alison just knowing that John would throw that Coke at her like he'd done it before? To this day, I don't know if they had known each other before then. I don't think I want to either.

The funny part is that there's still a Breakfast Club, it's just Andrew and myself and no longer in it. Brian is, but John and Alison had always gotten a response from him when they said hello in the halls. They all even hung out on the weekends. Guess that helped matters. I knew deep down it would happen, but I wish all of us were on better terms. That's my and Andy's fault. It hasn't been the same since graduation, since the day our promise got revised.

Andrew and I agreed to stand to next to each other in the class photo. We had seen the John, Alison, and Brian but had walked on by. They were always together now a days and had been since that Saturday detention. They stayed strong and were friends no matter what the rest of the school said. Andy and I were the same people on the outside as we'd always been. But we watched out for the others even if they didn't know it. Which is why it worried us when they snuck out the back after the photo was taken.

Andy and I followed them to the football field; fully aware we were skipping our own graduation.

"What are they doing?" Andy asked me, motioning to the laughing trio in front of us. I could only shrug. We ended up under the bleachers so we could hear what they were saying.

"Can you believe we're free? No more classes or asshole teachers or stupid high school drama!" Brian said excitedly. John just laughed at him while Alison smiled.

"I actually can Big Bry. And who knew you two would come with the 'criminal' and blow off graduation?"

"Don't you mean who can believe the two of us helped you get to where you have a graduation to miss?" Alison smirked. John scoffed as Brian laughed and tripped up the stairs.

"Shut up."

"Hey guys?" Brian asked after a minute of comfortable silence. "What do you think the other two are doing?"

"Grooming," Alison and John answered in unison.

"Does it really matter Brian? Not like they made any effort to keep a promise," John ground out. I had to hold Andy back. Those two could never get along.

"John's right Brian," Alison's voice announced softly, making Andy stop in his tracks. "We have each other now and we can do quite fine without them."

"Ali's right. In fact, I think we need to do something before we leave this hell hole." John stood and turned to face the other two. "I say we change our promise."

Andy and I couldn't believe our ears. Could they do that?

"We have been true to our word. We stayed friends. Fuck, WE kept a promise that was thought impossible. Why not cut the already broken ties?" I closed my eyes and prayed that the others would disagree. I opened them and locked onto Andy's. Our prayers fell on deaf ears.

"Okay." It was a simple statement, but Brian had just put one of the two nails into Andy and my coffin. After his agreement, Brian stood and shook hands with John before being pulled into a bear hug. Andy and I looked up when silence followed.

"That's my girl," Andy whispered, a slight smile on his face. Maybe Alison could save us.

"Ali?" John questioned softly.

"I… Andy…" she stuttered.

"Yeah, I know. But did we love them? Did they love us?" John asked holding out a hand to her. Alison looked at him for a minute before breaking into a huge smile and taking the offered hand. John pulled her up and spun her around before kissing her on the nose and setting her down. He didn't let go of her hand though.

"So, we have a deal? We promise to stay friends through hell or high water? You guys want to remain the Breakfast Club?" John asked as the three of them walked down the bleachers.

"Deal," Brian and Alison said together.

The last I saw of them was three silhouettes walking across the football field away from the past and out of my and Andy's lives.

That was twenty years ago. My parents have never forgiven me for missing graduation and Andy wasn't much better off. Past woes always come up at these types of things.

"Welcome back Claire."

"Andy! Great to see you."

Yeah, our twenty-year reunion is today, on a Saturday in the library and gym. Big one to come to it would seem by the number of people here. Some of them I recognize, most of the people I really don't know. I rescan the room.

"They're not here yet."

"Yet? And how do you know who I'm looking for anyway?"

"I looked at the attending list. And you're looking for the same three I am."

He was right, of course. I won't admit it out loud though. My husband, and my last name, is in the spotlight too much to be able to still. I can't help but think that my heart died. They do all eventually show up though.

Brian has a lovely wife, pictures of two beautiful little girls, and a new best seller. Big Bry can write it turns out. His looks haven't changed much, but he looks like he's doing fine.

Behind him comes Alison. She's pregnant and Andy is about as pale as a napkin. She looks great. For all that Brian hasn't changed, Alison has done the exact opposite. Her dark hair is long and done up in a half ponytail. Her dress is a copper color, not black like I expected. Word gets around to me that her art has really taken off and she's been happily married to a successful business owner. Andy's eyes follow her though he's been married for a couple years. She grabs Brian's wife and heads for the food. Looks like they kept in contact all these years. My eyes go back to Brian though because he's waiting by the door for the person I've been waiting to see.

And in he steps. John Bender with a scowl on his face, which Brian shakes his head at. My smile fades quickly when I realize that John's nervous habit to always be moving has changed to twisting a ring. His wedding ring. I wait for a wife to come in after him but none comes. Seems he's come stag and I have to sit. Andy has an empty table in the back waiting with a scotch.

All three come by and politely say hello when they realize whom we are. They hurry away and back to each other once all have said their respects. I feel like I'm at a funeral and I'm the grieving widow. Andy and I are left by ourselves, so we can watch the two people we could have had slip even further away from us.

Snatches of conversations that I can hear make my heart break and I realize I'd been an idiot. I guess I always had been, but I can truly see it now. As the night winds down, I turn to Andy as Bender's wife finally gets him out on the dance floor next to Brian and his wife. Andy turns to look at me when I softly nudge him with my heel.

"Did our hearts die before or after that Saturday? And why didn't we notice?"

"They were dying from the first day we set foot in this school and chose our friends. But our decisions after that day stomped out any remaining life in them. We could have saved them but our heads were to far up our asses to see clearly what we were losing," Andy whispered before getting up to get another drink.

I watched Andy go before turning back to our sweet torture. John was happy, how could I be bitter towards him? I couldn't, but I did hate myself for letting him go. Watching Brian and his wife was a reminder of what my husband and I could never be like. Watching Bender was a reminder of what it would never be like.

When Andy sat back down, I took his hand. He just squeezed it as he watched Alison dance. They were happy while we were tired and bitter. They were living each moment like they wanted to. Our hearts had died almost completely, but we had one more beat left in them. We could be happy for them.

John was going to be a dad. Alison was going to be a mom.

We watched as they danced and realized what we had given up.

John looked lovingly at Alison and kissed her on the nose before spinning her around in a bear hug. And Brian watched from the side, happy for his best friends.

"I always knew you two would end up together."


End file.
